C4000B -opinions and alternatives pls

[Rigsby]

My budget's pretty slim, and i need something that's going to be good for cello, violin, clarinet and saxes. It's got to be a fairly good all-rounder as i only have a 57 and a D112 besides this new mic. I have around ?270 to spend on this. I used the search function and i've read a fair bit of comments suggesting the AT4050, but they're around ?550-600 over here, and i have vouchers for a store in the UK that make up a fair bit of my budget, so shipping one over from the US isn't an option with this.

Anyway, taste-wise, i like C1000s as overheads and C451b for oud and acoustic guitar, so i'm not adversed to a brighter sound. I like the C451 for violins when there are a few layers of them, but find them a bit thin for solo violin. Definately don't want anything too muddy. Oh, and i'm recording to HD.

The AKG mic PDF says that the C4000B is preffered for saxes, cello and clarinet and recommended for violin, what do you guys think based on what i've said?

Thanks a lot,
Matt.

[Rigsby]

Just a little bump.

[Rigsby]

Come on guys, help me out here please.

[segaface]

Come on guys, help me out here please.

My friend has a Blue Baby Bottle that I happen to like.


It's a little on the "dark" side sound-wise vs. the other mics you had mentioned.

If you want to stick with AKG, did you look for any used 414's?

andy

[bigtoe]

"The AKG mic PDF says that the C4000B is preffered for saxes, cello and clarinet and recommended for violin, what do you guys think based on what i've said?"

AKG marketing says a lot of horseshit. God love them but they'd be the last people who i'd listen to on where to stick their mics.

"Come on guys, help me out here please."

obviously, there's no answer to your question...it's particulary difficult due to the different sources yer wanting to record with one mic. i'd probably think a re20/pl20 would be pretty cool for all of them with the 451 in the wings as a back up on the stings. an M160 or 130 wouldn't suck either.

Have a good one!

Mike

[Rigsby]

If you want to stick with AKG, did you look for any used 414's?

Yeah, like i said, i have vouchers for this store and it only sells new gear, that's where most of my budget is.

Thanks a lot guys, anyone else want to chip in i'll be very grateful.

[logancircle]

C4000B is dark, but it is a multipattern. I would suggest the AT 4033, AKG c 414 (awesome!), AKG c1000 or the Blue Baby Bottle. These are all a bit brighter, esp the 4033 which is a truly great all around budget mic.

[mechanic]

I lived with this mic for almost two years... it was a housemate's.

It's multi-pattern options make it way more useful than a baby-bottle (I compared the two on the body of an accoustic guitar [over the right shoulder]... and the 4000 was beautiful, but the baby-bottle was just too much low end - my rooms is pretty dead though).

... and I know people like the 4033, but I think the 4000 blows it away in terms of sound AND utility. Don't underestimate what those pattern options do for you...

Put it this way... if it was still in my house, I wouldn't be looking for another LDC.
That said, I just passed on a great deal on a 4000 because I'm holding out for a 414.

From what you've got, I think you'd be very happy with a 4000... but from what I've read in the forums, you may also consider an AT4050...

did that help _at_all?

[Rigsby]

Yeah, that helped a lot, thanks. I know that the C1000s are too bright for what i want this mic for, i've heard mixed things about the uses for 4033s (which are currently ?101 cheaper than the C4000 in the store). I'd like a 414 but it's around double the price of the 4000 (maybe for the next record - hopefully that one will have some degree of a budget). I'm thinking go with the C4000 and maybe check out SE Electronics for small diaphragm as well if i can stretch to that, which i think i can. Thanks again guys, anyone else wants to chip in, it's all good.

[tiger vomitt]

if youre looking to mic a violin, for the love of god do not buy a 414

c4000's are not DARK. theyre just not hyped like a 414 or 4033. they are very natural for an LDC (for better or worse)

an m160 would be lovely for the stuff you mentioned. likely to be nicer than a c4000, although both would be cool.

[swingdoc]

I very much like the AKG 4000B. I think it would work just fine for the applications you mentioned.
I believe it to be a fairly "underrated" mic for the money.
Its a very good option.

[logancircle]

Anyone tried this mic on kick drum? The AKG site says it's good for kick, but most peeps I know and I usually use dynamics.

[Rigsby]

if youre looking to mic a violin, for the love of god do not buy a 414

c4000's are not DARK. theyre just not hyped like a 414 or 4033. they are very natural for an LDC (for better or worse)

an m160 would be lovely for the stuff you mentioned. likely to be nicer than a c4000, although both would be cool.

Someone else just suggested the Beyer M160, but it's out of my range at ?320. The C4000 being natural sounds good to me, i do tire of hyped top ends.

I have used a 414 on violin and quite liked it, but that was in conjunction with a 57 on the violin amp about ten feet away with the violinist playing somewhere between the two, maybe two or three feet away from the 414, it reduced the brittle top end and what i considered to be too much of the attack sound. Having the amp in the same room provided a nice warm roomy sound which mixed really well with the electric guitar, drums, fretless bass and electric piano. I'm not sure we actually used much of the 57 sound in the end, some, but not too much. The violin sound i'm after for these recordings though is a slightly more organic sound and no amp.

Oh, checked out the Blue and it's also out of my range at ?330, and i'm also thinking a little more diversity might be a good thing.

Anyway, keep them coming if you've got more to give. Thanks again.

[bigtoe]

"Someone else just suggested the Beyer M160, but it's out of my range at ?320."

did you check that place in germany that sells em cheap? i cannot remember the name.

Mike

[Rigsby]

I've not tried them, but i have this credit with the store that i'll be buying from so it's not an option right now. I'd be interested in a link anyway though.